Posted by: Staff
on Jun 3, 2010
A very contagious disease caused by a type of bacteria called Bordetella pertussis. Among vaccine-preventable diseases, pertussis is one of the most commonly occurring ones in the United States.
- Vaccines: Very effective but not 100 percent effective. If pertussis is circulating in the community, there is still a chance that a fully vaccinated person can catch it.
Posted by: Staff
on Apr 12, 2010
Physicians, Patients Launch Medicare Petition Drive A 21 percent cut in Medicare physician reimbursement took effect April 1, and now physicians and their patients and families are fighting back.
Get involved.
Posted by: Staff
on Mar 3, 2010
Congress Stops SGR Cuts through March 31; CMA Fighting for Permanent Repeal
Responding to strong pressure from CMA, AMA, and seniors, the US Senate last night passed HR 4691, legislation stopping the 21% cut to Medicare payment rates to physicians through March 31. The House had already passed the bill. President Obama is expected to sign the legislation shortly. Because Medicare contractors were instructed to hold claims for 10 days, physicians are not expected to face any cuts in Medicare reimbursements for any services provided in the first three months of 2010.
Posted by: Staff
on Jan 25, 2010
California seniors need Congress to act on Medicare cuts formula: Choice of physicians at risk
California residents face several issues with choice of physicians and access to care: 9.0% of the state's residents live in a designated primary care shortage area; 13.3% report that they could not see a doctor in the last 12 months due to cost; there are 274 emergency department visits per 1,000 population in the state; and 31% of the state's Medicare beneficiaries age 65 and over live below 150% of the federal poverty level, among the nation's highest.
On March 1, 2010, California physicians face an across-the-board cut of 21.2%, with more cuts likely to follow over the next few years due to a flawed payment update formula, the Sustainable Growth Rate or SGR.
By repealing the SGR formula, Congress can avert these cuts. SGR repeal would prevent a loss of $1.2 billion in 2010 for the care of elderly and disabled patients in California. On average, legislation to repeal the SGR would prevent cuts of $13,000 to each California physician next year.
301,276 employees, 3,972,571 Medicare patients and 870,724 TRICARE patients in California will be helped by the legislation that averts these cuts.
Compared to the rest of the country, California has more Medicare beneficiaries than any other state and, at 242 practicing physicians per 100,000 population, the state has a below-average physician-to-population ratio, even before the cuts take effect.
48 percent of California's practicing physicians are over 50, an age at which surveys have shown many physicians consider reducing their patient care activities.
Information courtesy of American Medical Association
